Power drive for electric switchgear in which driving power is elastically transmitted thereto

Abstract

Disclosed is a power drive for electric switchgear in which the driving force is elastically transmitted to an actuating member, for example, a handle. Thereby, tolerance compensation is provided to allow the drive motor to run into the end positions of the drive. A bending-type spring is disclosed as an elastic power transmitting member which is arranged transversely to the direction of motion of a slide which transmits the driving force to the switchgear. The bending-type spring can be connected to the slide. The bending-type spring can be a leaf spring, and more particularly two parallel leaf springs. In the disclosed embodiments, the two parallel leaf springs are provided as a single U-shaped leaf spring having parallel legs. The U-shaped leaf spring can either be supported at both ends thereof in the slide or the legs can be fastened in a mounting body connected to the slide.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. In a power drive for electric switchgear having a driven member in which the driving force is elastically transmitted to an actuating member of the switchgear via a slide, the improvement comprising U-shaped leaf spring means having elongate substantially parallel legs coupled to the driven member and to the slide for elastically transmitting the driving force to the slide, said legs extending transversely to the direction of motion of the slide, said driven member being a crank arm having a crank pin engaging said spring means between the legs thereof. 
     
     
       2. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped leaf spring means is coupled to the slide at at least an end of the spring means corresponding to the free ends of said legs. 
     
     
       3. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the slide includes support means and the ends of the two legs of the U-shaped leaf spring means are supported at the support means. 
     
     
       4. The improvement according to claim 3, wherein a free end of at least one of the legs is angled off and the slide includes a pocket-like recess into which the angled-off end can snap in a snap-locking manner. 
     
     
       5. The improvement according to claim 1 and comprising a supporting element inserted between the ends of the two legs of the U-shaped leaf spring means. 
     
     
       6. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for reducing the distance between the two parallel legs of the U-shaped leaf spring means along at least a portion of the length thereof to be less than the diameter of the crank pin. 
     
     
       7. The improvement according to claim 1 and comprising a mounting body associated with the slide into which the ends of the legs of the U-shaped leaf spring means are fastened. 
     
     
       8. The improvement according to claim 7, wherein the mounting body is a casting having the ends of the legs cast therein. 
     
     
       9. The improvement according to claim 7, wherein the mounting body includes slots in which the ends of the legs are held by a clamp fit. 
     
     
       10. The improvement according to claim 9, wherein material is disposed at the openings of the slots of the mounting body on a side thereof facing the crank pin, the material being deformable under pressure. 
     
     
       11. The improvement according to claim 9, wherein material is deposed in the slots of the mounting body on a connecting piece of the mounting body along the direction of the leaf spring, the material being deformable under pressure. 
     
     
       12. The improvement according to claim 1, wherein the U-shaped leaf spring means is coupled to the slide at two transversely spaced locations with reference to the direction of motion of the slide. 
     
     
       13. The improvement according to claim 12, wherein the crank pin is coupled to the spring means between said two locations. 
     
     
       14. A power drive for an electric swtichgear which includes an actuating member, the power drive comprising a driven member coupled to a means for driving, a slide coupled to the actuating member, means for supporting the slide for motion in a direction to move the actuating member to activate the switchgear, and U-shaped leaf spring means having elongate substantially parallel legs extending transversely to the direction of motion of the slide and coupled to the driven member and the slide for elastically coupling the driving force of the driven member to the slide, said driven member being a crank arm having a crank pin engaging said spring means between said legs. 
     
     
       15. The power drive according to claim 14, wherein the U-shaped leaf spring means is coupled to the slide at two transversely spaced locations with reference to the direction of motion of the slide. 
     
     
       16. The power drive according to claim 15, wherein the crank pin is coupled to the spring means between said two locations.